Straw hat



E. R. EPHRAIM STRAW HAT med Maron 19, 1929 Dec. 17, l 92 9.

,8M ma@ Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT ELLIS R. EPI-IRAIM,OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ll'. S. LEVY $5 SONS,

INC., OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND STRAW HATApplication filed March 19,-1929. -Seral No. 348,278.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in straw hatshaving rows of overlapping straw braid with laterally projecting points,said rows being secured together to form a crown and a brim. It is a l',ered on the outer face bythe hat band and on the inner face by the hatsweat.

An object of the present invention is to provide a band of flexiblematerial secured to the hat so as to cover the points in the unstiifenedregion of the brim on the upper face of the brim.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hat of the abovecharacter with a band of flexible material for covering the points onthe under face of the brim.

A still further object of the invention is to provide bands of flexiblematerial covering the points in the unstiffened zone of the brim both onthe upper and lower faces thereof.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of theinvention Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hat showing the invention asapplied to the upper face 'Y of the brim.

TFig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the same, showing the partsdiagrammatically and the `position of the flexible band relative to thebreak,

Fig. 3 is, a slightly modified form of the invention in that theflexible band is shown as applied to the under face of the brim only forcovering the points in the unstiened ZOlle.

Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in plan showing a portionof a hat7 the overlapping' straw braid with its projecting points andthe band of flexible material covering the points on the upper face ofthe brim.

The invention is directed to a straw hat which is made from straw braidhaving laterally projecting points laid in overlapping rows and securedtogether to form a crown and a brim. The brim is as usual formed of anupper and a lower layer of oined rows of braid. The crown of the hat andthe brim are stiffened in the usual manner except for a Zone at eachside of the break. This is for the purpose of giving flexibility to thehat so that it will readily shape itself to conform to the head of thewearer.

The points of straw braid in the region of the unstiffened Zone areliable to project outwardly from the plane of the crown or the plane ofthe brim. The hat band only covers the points on the outer face of thecrown in the unstiflened Zone and the sweat covers the points of thecrown on the inside of the hat in the unstiffened zone.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a means for coveringthe points in the brim. Invthe preferred form of the invention aflexible band of any suitable material is provided which is placed on'the upper face of the brim and is of such dimensions a-s to extend froma line at the extreme outer edge of the unstiffened Zone to the breakand slightly beneath the band of the hat so that this band will hold theinner edge of the flexible covering band. The outer edge of the flexiblecovering band is secured to the brim by stitching.

In another form of the invention a flexible band is provided forcovering the points beneath the brim and the band extends from a line atthe outer edge of the unstiffened Zone in the brim to a line slightlybeyond the break so as to be secured at its inner edge by the hat sweat.The outer edge is secured to the brim by a line of stitching.

In another form of the invention a flexible band may be used on theupper face of the brim and on the under face of the brim.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the straw hat consists of acrown portion l formed of straw braid having laterally projectingpoints. In Fig. l the hat is illustrated more or less diagrammatically,as straw braids with points are very common and well known. ln Fig. 5,however, the braids are indicated at 2 and the points at 3. The hat isprovided with a` brim l also formed of straw braid which is laid in rowsoverlapping each other and with the points on the outer face of the hat.rlhe brim is preferably made of two layers of connected rows of braidsas usual. T he crown and brim are provided with a suitable stifieningmaterial except for a zone extending on both sides of the break. 'lhennstiffened zone extends from the broken line A to the broken line B.The ordinary and 5 covers the points of the straw braid in theunstiffened Zone of the crown. The hat sweat 6 covers the points in theunstifiiened Zone of the crown on the inner face formed by the upturnedportion of the brim. The points in the unstifllened zone of the brim,however, are not covered by the ordinary hat band nor by the hat sweat.These points which are free from still'ening material are liable to projeet outwardly away 'from the plane of the brim and becriine unsightly.

In the forni ofthe invention shown in Figs. l and 2 a band 7 of fl xiblematerial is placed on the outerl face of the brim. This band extendsfrom a point adjacent the outer edge of the unstiffened Zone indicatedat A. to a point just beneath the hat band 5. rEhe flexible band issecured to the brim by aA line oi stitching 8 passing through the outeredge of the flexible band ad the brim. The inner edge of this flexibleband is unsecured except by the ordinary hat band 5 which covers theupturned edge portion thereof. This flexible band may be made of strawor any other suitable material. lt is preferably made, however, ofbraided straw of much lighter texture than the straw forming the body ofthe hat. rllhis flexible band is for the sole purpose of covering thepoints. By making said band of very flexible material and by leaving theedge of the flexible band at the crown unattached, the band does not inany way intertere with the full flexibility of the hat at the break.

lin Fig. 3 of the dra-wing, a flexible band 9 is shown as applied to theunder face of the brim and secured thereto at its outer edge by a lineof stitching 10. The inner edge of the band is secured by the hat sweat6 which in turn is secured by stitches l1. rfhis flexible band 9 is ofthe character of the band 7, and extends from a line at the outer edgeof the unstifllened Zone of the brim to a line just above the breakwhere it is secured, as stated, by the hat sweat.

ln Fig. l of the drawing, the hat is shown as provided with both theband 7 and the band 9 for covering the points on the upper and on thelower face of the brim. With the band on the under face of the brim orwith the band on both the upper and .under faces of the brim, the pointsare well covered and at the same time the flexibility of the hat in theunstifl'ened Zone is not interfered with.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecu-re by Letters Patent, is

1. A straw hat comprising continuous rows of overlapping straw braidhaving laterally projecting points, said rows being secured together toform a crown and brim, the crown and brim being stiflened except for aZone at and extending to each side ofthe break which is substantiallyfree from stiilening material, a band of flexible material secured tothe brim `at the inner edge ofthe stiffened portion and extending over,engaging and covering the projecting points in the unstiffened portionof the brim, said flexible band `terminating adjacent the break.

2. A straw hat .comprising continuous rows of overlapping straw braidhaving laterallyA projecting points, said rows being secured together toform a crown, the crown and brim being stifl'ened except for alone atand extending to each side of the break which is substantially free fromstiffen-ing material, aband of flexible material secured to the upperface of the brim at the inner edge of the stiffen'ed portion andextending over, engagingV and covering the projecting points in theunstifl'ened portion of' the brim, said flexible band terminatingadjacent the break beneath the hat band.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

ELLIS R. EPHRAIM.

